The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-08-20
THE ILLINOIS CANAL.

THE ILLINOIS CANAL.
Property owners along the course OF tn
Illinois river, and the boatmen and Others
who are interested in the commerce whicl
should float thereon, will be interested II
the following report of Maj. Hamburg, II
charge of the work:
The project now in the course Of execu
ton for the reach of the Illinois river ly
ing between the state lock at COpperas
creek and the mouth, distance Of ID
miles, contemplates the construction of Y"
locks aud dams and the dredging of
channelway where necessary 50 as to IL
sure continuous depth throughout OF no
less than seven feet AT low water.
The sites selected for the locks and dam
are: Ols at X ,mpsvllle, about thirty
miles above the mouth of the river; the
other at LA Grange, forty. five miles above
Kampsville. These LOCKS are $50 feet lon
and - feet wide, with feet over miter-sil
at low water.
The ultimate object OF this improvement
is to provide Il channel.way from the low
er end of Lake Michigaa to the Mississir
pi river of sufficient capacity to accomo
date large siz-d Mississippi river boats, 81
that the products OF the country may be
carried from the lake to the gulf without
breaking bulk; also to enable vessels OF
war of Considerable capacity to pass freel.
from the Gulf of Mexico into the defense
less waters of our northern lakes, shOulC
the exigencies of our foreign relations eveI
require this to be done.
At the La Grange lock two short return
walls were built sloping back to the rea
from the land wall. The land In the va
cinity OF the lock site at this point being
below the level Of ordinary high water, i
is necessary to fill in behind the land wal
OF the lock to the extent of about thirty
thousand cubic yards, in order to make the
space required for the service of the lock
About eighteen thousand cubic yards OF
this filling has been put in place. A neat
and substantial keepers dwelling was Dull
during the year. The timber for the fou
lock gates was purchased and delivered
A contract was entered into May 81, with
Williams, White IL Co, Moline LII to de
liver al the lock site the iron and steel ne
Cessary for the lock gates, head-bay valves
mauuvering gear, etc. AT kampsville loci
the contractors commenced delivering anC
piling the stone contracted for under date:
of November 9, 1884, and September 10
1886, amounting IN all to 1852 cubic yald DIS
Nothing farther than paying the amounts
due on these stones was done at Kampsvillf
during the year.
In order to finish this lock, there are
3,3j4 cubic yards Of cut stone, and 5000
cubic yards of backing yet to be contracted
for.
The clause of the river and harbor bill
approved August 5, 1886, making appro
priatiOn for this improvement, reads: lin
proving Illinois river, Illinois: Continuing
improvement, $1l2,500, of which sum
$3.50 may be expended in dredging in the
river in front of Peoria"
lnasmuch rs there had been no project
from this office submitted to Congress that
contemplated any work being done by the
United States tor improving the Illinois
river In the vicinity of Peoria, an investi
CATION was necessary in order TO ascertain
from those in whose interest and through
whose Influence it was supposed that the
allotment of $3.50 had been obtained
what object they had in view, and in the
execution of what special plan, If any, they
wished the amount to be expended. This
Investigation was made by me and a repor,
submitted December 81, 1856, From the
facts developed, was constrained to re-
commend that the discretionary power con
veyed by the language of the act would be
wisely exercised by Withholding the au
thority to expend any part of the sum ap
propriated Ia dredging in the Illinois river
in front of Peoria. This recommendation
Eas concurred in by the chief of engineers
and approved by the secretary of war. NJ
WORK, therefore, has been done In front OF
Peoria.
In order to complete the work projected
for the improvement OF the Illinois river
between Copperas creek and its mouth, the
following Is yet to be done: At the La
Grange lock about $4,000 cubic yards OF
earth is to be filled In behind the land wall
the floor of the lock chamber to be covered
with PLANK, the lower mitersill stones L
be set, tail bay to be paved, the tank OF
river above and below the lock to be rip
raped, the lock. gates with all maneuver
ing gear and valves aud headbay valves tC
be constructed and placed, and the whole
OF the dam, excepting the abutments, to bs
built.
The timber necessary TO the construction
of the lock gates and the flooring of the
lock-chambeI is on hand ami paid for. A
contract has been let for the delivery of the
iron and steel work for the lock gates
head bay, valves, etc.
At the Kimpsvllle lock only the Golfer
dam necessary to Its construction and the
foundation of the locks have been prepared
All the other work, including the con
struction OF the dam, Is vet to be done
Two thousand eight hundred and eighty
two cubic yards of cut-stone for this lock
are now at the lock site. The remainder
is yet 10 be contracted for The amount o.
material necessary to be dredged In order
70 give a seven foot channel Throughout
this reach In conjunction with these dam!
was originally estimated to be about 2, POO,
COO cubic yards. But little of this dredg
ing has been done.
THE AMOUNT ESTIMATED
to be necessary TO conn lete the work above